


I am you

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alien Planet, Alternate Universe, Counterparts - Freeform, Decisions, Ethical Dilemmas, Feels, Gen, Happy, Has the universe gone mad yet?, Morals, Planet Destruction, Refugee Vulcans, Revenge, Sad, Shock, Technobabble, Vulcans, double, two McCoy's
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6703480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were three words Doctor McCoy never wants to hear in his lifetime. But he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hailing

It was one of those days where they were exploring space, boldly going where no man or woman has gone before. You could find some of the crew in the rec room chatting, some playing violins, some using  a piano in the holodeck that had some glitches but still was getting was better by the passing months and holographologists working on the holodeck on  Earth. You could find engineers in the engineering room. A few patients in sick bay. Scientists in the science lab doing calculations. If you went to the bridge would be followed by a doctor in a short sleeved shirt with blue eyes and graying hair.

The atmosphere on the bridge was light, and friendly.

"What are you here for, Bones?" Jim asked.

"Well I went into my quarters to have a quick nap, and look what I found," McCoy held up a square device. "Your Nintendo DS."

"I did not leave my nintendo in your quarters," Jim said. "And I do not have a Nintendo."

McCoy held up a square device with a flat screen in the center that had big bold letters reading 'J.T.K's property'.

"Yes, you did." McCoy replied.

Jim had a short but caught red handed laugh.

"What is a Nintendo?" Spock asked.

 "It is a device we used back in the day to amuse ourselves," Jim said, as McCoy handed the device to the captain. "Though the evolution of it was stalled due to inconveniences."

"Hmm.  . ." Spock noted. "Amusement."

"Don't tell me," McCoy said. "Vulcans meditate to have fun."

"Fun is illogical." Spock said.

Uhura turned away from her station.

"Captain, there is a hailing frequency coming from a nearby planet," Uhura reported.  "It is a federation class starship distress signal."

Jim shared a look with Spock, puzzled, and in disbelief because they had not been attacked or anything for that matter. The _Enterprise_ was put on Red Alert in case of there being a hidden  Romulan or Klingon starship. One necessarily should be prepared in the likes of a sudden attack. A Earth like planet was found when the _Enterprise_ approached the source of the alert.  It had taken all but fifteen minutes to arrive. They hadn't seen this planet on their way into this star system.

"Hail them."  Jim said.

"Aye, captain." Uhura said.

"Hello, this is James T. Kirk of the _USS Enterprise_. How may we be of some help?" Jim asked.

There was silence.

"This is James T. Kirk of the _USS Enterprise_ ," Jim repeated. "We have come to help."

Then there was a static like sound at first.

" _Enterprise_?" Came a voice.

"Affirmative, this is the _Enterprise_." Jim said.

"Oh my god. Not again." There was a groan following it on the line.

"Excuse us?" Jim said.

"Your full name is James Tiberius Kirk, you were born in Riverside Iowa in 2233 on March 22nd. You are the youngest man to take the captain's chair. You also have a extremely rare psychic connection with Commander Spock, now that I have your attention, I have a series of requests that should be taken seriously and with caution. Also, I don't want any more damn people to die."

"How do you know?" Jim asked.

"Well, Captain who-gets-his-shirt-torn on every mission, I am not tellin' you." The other McCoy said.

"We are responding to a ship distress signal." Jim said. 

". . . That was sent a long, long time ago." The voice had turned sad. "Are we in Federation Space?"  
  
There was a pause as Jim looked over in the direction of Spock.  
  
"Yes." Jim said.  
  
"Who is this?" McCoy asked, as they heard a sigh of relief over the audio.  
  
"I am you," The voice replied.  "I am from a different universe and we have a lot of patients need to be taken to a nearby Vulcan colony. Plenty of Vulcan refugees."

McCoy was frozen where he stood hearing in the young voice of a man he did not recognize.  
  
"There is no need for Vulcan Refugees," Spock said. "And it is illogical for that."  
  
"Your voice never changes, Ambaa---Commander. Damn it." The other McCoy said.  
  
"Who are you?" Jim asked.  
  
"Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy of the alternate timeline. You have to beam up a lot of Vulcans and send down three phasers. We do not want a quantum problem that kills a few people aboard your ship. M'Benga, Nurse Chapel, and me. I have been waiting' one hundred thirty-three years to find out if we could get these people off of here. This planet is capable of phasing through the time continuum and agin' is thrown out the window. I saw the ship I was assigned to explode. I just want my misery to be over. Mr Spock, I believe there is a sayin' for this. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."  
  
"Or the one." Spock finished.  
  
"I am glad Amanda is alive in this one." The other McCoy said, with gratitude.  
  
If anyone was listening closely, they would have heard a Vulcan's heart breaking into pieces.  
  
"By the way, when you take them to Vulcan. . ." The other McCoy said. "Let them cry for petes sake. Give them privacy. Yes, Doctor McCoy, Vulcans are very emotional bein's. They are all liars! McCoy out."  
  
McCoy looked in the direction of Spock with a gaping jaw.  
  
"I knew it!" Were the next words out of the doctor's mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea landed in my head. And so I decided to play with it. Good luck reading it if you make it past this chapter :) And thank you for making it to the end of this chapter! I hope you enjoy this story ^.^ I hope this story stood on its own and stood out as unique. It basically started as 'What if AOS Bones ended up on a planet that phased out of AOS after the Enterprise was destroyed and ended up it the TOS with nothing to lose but to save lives?'


	2. A hundred years of hope

Leonard had been tending to his patients, along with the two medical staff members who had beamed down to the planet with him. How they got stranded here was the worst. It was cruel and demeaning. Cruel, that is what M'Benga called it. The Vulcans did not age but they experienced Pon Farr and had to mate. It turned out their internal clocks had been slowed down. Producing a baby took ten years. For the baby to age it would take take two years for it to age into a toddler. Ninety years for the toddler to age into a child. But for some reason the humans on the planet were unaffected.

"Do you miss the Enterprise?" Chapel asked.

Leonard looked over in the direction of Chapel with a hard look on his face.

"Which one are you talkin' about?" Leonard asked.

"The one we came from." Chapel said.

"Every second." Leonard said.

"I wish Mr Spock and the Captain were still here." Chapel said.

"They wouldn't be happy about this." Leonard said.

"But being together?" Chapel asked.

Leonard had a pause.

"They would be all too happy about that." Leonard said.

They had talked with what seemed like one hundred _Enterprise_ s in their lifetime. The fate that befell them was the same as the first. Being destroyed seemingly without warning by a bird of prey. Leonard eventually discovered it was their choice of words upon being contacted that made the difference. He discovered that twelve years ago and not a ship has come by since.

The sky changed and it felt like the planet was spinning.

When the spinning stopped, most of the make shift buildings had either collapsed or destroyed. Chapel was on the floor beside the lawn chair. Leonard helped the nurse up to her feet. They had a look of realization on their faces. They knew what had happened. It was the same as all the others. The medical center was still standing. The transporter building the roof damaged and two extra abandoned rooms that did not have transporters had caved in. Panic was in the air among the air of hope.

"Go," Chapel said. "We will take care of the injured."

Leonard speeded down the wreckage. This planet was much of a mystery as it was to him as it was to everyone off the planet. He had significant differences from his counterpart who could be different from him. One, he was younger than him physically. His hair hadn't turned gray yet from all the stress of losing Jim and Spock on his watch would have accumulated. Enterprise. Enterprise. Enterprise. Enterprise. The flashes of memories of the Enterprise paint job being white by the inside and the grayness that occupied the metal by the outside. Nyota  Uhura, the brilliant Communications officer. Spock, the Vulcan who acted Vulcan more than human. Jim, the reckless man who had optimism and hope and supported woman's rights. Scotty, the man who could beat anyone at a drinking game. Sulu, a man who enjoyed fencing and plants in general. Chekov, the child prodigy who admired Spock's work and declared anything was made in Russia.

Who knew a man would miss all that?

There was no way he could go home.

His reality was unique.

No Enterprise.

In fact, to get home through the Guardian of Forever, he and the occupants would have to been dead while the _Enterprise_ survived.

Leonard skidded into the garage then took off the long fabric that covered the machinery. Machinery gathered to create the off distance planetary communication through starships that did not have the necessary communication line breaking through ion storms, atmospheric conditions, an so on. It was M'Benga's idea after the loss of the Enterprise. There were remains of a great civilization. Theroetically, if there were two people from two different universes occupying the same space then within twenty-four hours one of them or both of them would be dead. Damning knowledge. Damning evidence.

Because once that did happen.

Before being stranded on this planet.

They had enough supplies and technology to last for thousands of years.

Leonard took the buzzing communicator connected to the machine and flipped it open.

"This is James T. Kirk of the _USS Enterprise_ ," Came a staccato voice. "We have come to help."

Leonard could feel tears coming down his face. Help. Help. Help. This is a different Jim. Different from all the Jim's who had contacted. Eleven of them were Vulcans. Nine of them were Beastazoid. Ten of them were Romulan. Six of them were Klingons. Ten of them James T. Kirk was a immortal. Five of them James T. Kirk was a android. Eleven of them had James T. Kirk as a time lord. And there were countless others. James T. Kirk was a interesting subject in the time continuum. James T. Kirk was not always human. But this sounded human.

" _Enterprise_?" Leonard repeated.

"Affirmative, this is the _Enterprise_." Jim said, sounding annoyed.

"Oh my god," Leonard said, rubbing his forehead  with a groan. That is how the reply would sound, exactly, every time. BUT NOT THIS TIME.  "Not again."

"Excuse us?" Jim said.

Leonard took a sigh closing the communicatior, closing his eyes, then reopened them.

"You can do this," Leonard said. "Let's. . . Let's try what a omnipotent entity would do." With a defiant look on his face full of awareness the doctor flipped open the communicator. "Your full name is James Tiberius Kirk, you were born in Riverside Iowa in 2233 on March 22nd. You are the youngest man to take the captain's chair. You also have a extremely rare psychic connection with Commander Spock, now that I have your attention, I have a series of requests that should be taken seriously and with caution. Also, I don't want any more damn people to die."

"How do you know?" Jim asked.

"Well, Captain who-gets-his-shirt-torn on every mission, I am not tellin' you." The other McCoy said.

"We are responding to a ship distress signal." Jim said.

Leonard closed his eyes, recalling the previous encounter. It was a Jim similar to his Jim who decided to send a beacon along the orbit of the planet to make sure that whatever happened before would not transpire exactly  next time. Last time it was an accidental discovery much like the previous encounters. Then the bird-of-prey appeared and shot them out.

Leonard opened his eyes.

". . . That was sent a long, long time ago." Leonard said.  "Are we in Federation Space?"  
  
There was a pause as Jim looked over in the direction of Spock.  
  
"Yes." Jim said.  
  
Leonard sighed, in relief.

"Who are you?" Came a voice he knew too well from the previous talks.

This time no danger to the crew of the _Enterprise_.  
  
"I am you,"  Leonard said. "I am from a different universe and we have a lot of patients need to be taken to a nearby Vulcan colony. Plenty of Vulcan refugees."

"There is no need for Vulcan Refugees," A familiar voice but older came over. "And it is illogical for that."  
  
"Your voice never changes, Ambaa---Commander. Damn it." Leonard said.  
  
"Who are you?" Jim asked.  
  
"Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy of the alternate timeline. You have to beam up  a lot of Vulcans and send down three phasers. We do not want a quantum problem that kills a few people aboard your ship. M'Benga, Nurse Chapel, and me. I have been waiting' one hundred thirty-three years to find out if we could get these people off of here. This planet is capable of phasin' through the time continuum and agin' is thrown out the window. I saw the ship I was assigned to explode. I just want my misery to be over. Mr Spock, I believe there is a sayin' for this. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."  
  
"Or the one." Spock finished.  
  
"I am glad Amanda is alive in this one." Leonard said, with gratitude.  
  
If anyone was listening closely, they would have heard a Vulcan's heart breaking into pieces.  
  
"By the way, when you take them to Vulcan. . ." Leonard said. "Let them cry for petes sake. Give them privacy. Yes, Doctor McCoy, Vulcans are very emotional bein's. They are all liars! McCoy out."

Leonard lowered the device then closed it with joy and hope in his eyes.

Leonard ran out.

"YOU ARE GOIN' HOME!" Leonard shouted. "YOU ARE ALL GOIN' HOME!"

 _I am comin' home,  Jim and Spock_.


	3. Dilemma

"Theoretically, he is right." Spock said.

"Just because he is my double does not mean we can help them kill themselves!" McCoy said.

"We are only beaming up the children." Spock said.

"Because they have no counterparts." McCoy said.

"Affirmative." Spock nodded.

"I can't go through with it. I cannot stand by and let my otherself kill himself!" McCoy said.

Spock stopped in his path then looked over in the direction of the doctor.

"He is not you,Doctor McCoy." Spock said.

"He sounds so youn'," McCoy said. "Fresh from living on the fields of Georgia."

Spock took a step aside then resumed his path.

"His reasons to kill himself is logical," Spock said. "He will save yours in return."

"But isn't there a better way about this?" McCoy asked. "Letting someone commit a senseless death is illogical when there could be a better way out." They walked past two Ensigns. "Suicide is never the answer. We all know that. It feels wrong to allow my other self to kill himself! I would never go down to that level. If ever, never! I would never do it. Suicide was wiped off the face of the Earth two century ago."

"The only way around this to end the misery they are in and whoever may experience this misery is to destroy the planet," Spock said, quite bluntly.  "Logically, that would end the time continuum it takes after the enemy bird of fire starship stops by that the doctor has described. Destroying a planet is entirely against the regulations of being in Star Fleet. If  we were to destroy this planet then we would be unbecoming and be liable for court martial by Star Fleet. Then we would be disbanded permanently without a chance of helping other people as you like to do commonly with your emotional outbursts."

"Not givin' them a phaser can spell the end for me and giving them a phaser spells the end of my counterpart," McCoy said.  "He has so much to live for and he could make a new life here."

The Vulcan looked over in the directi __on of the doctor.

"Doctor McCoy, put yourself in his shoes." Spock said. 

McCoy went silent.

"Think of losing everyone you know except for your best nurse and secondary doctor under your command." Spock said.

McCoy looked at the Vulcan quite puzzled but surprised.

"You know how exactly how he feels," McCoy said. "How do you know?"

Spock raised an eyebrow at that.

"I do not associate myself to such emotions." Spock said.

"But these emotions are part of the reason he wants to die, Mr Spock." McCoy said. 

"I would not blame him for his decision," Spock said. "Logically, quantum suicide is a fate far worse than watching the ones you serve with dying repeatedly."

McCoy got in the way of the Vulcan.

"You are scared of never dyin',Mr Spock," McCoy said. "So am I."

The doctor went past the Vulcan to the transporter room.


	4. The provoked ones

"Your children are leaving in groups of twelve." M'Benga instructed the large crowd of Vulcans.

"Where are they going?" One of the tallest asked.

"You are goin' home." Leonard was sitting down in a chair with  his legs folded and he had recently shaven his beard off.

"New Vulcan is not home!" A female  Vulcan shouted.

"LISTEN TO ME, THERE IS A INTACT VULCAN OUT THERE! DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO GROW AND LIVE AND BREATHE VULCAN AIR AND LEARN YOUR CULTURE?" He now stood up coming to the side of the dark man. "OR DO YOU WANT TO VISIT YOURSELVES AND DIE? THIS IS A REAL THREAT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE ENTERPRISE, TWICE, THIS ONE. THE ONE AMBASSADOR SELEK IS NATIVE TO BUT APPARENTLY NEVER HAPPENED. DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO DIE HERE? YOUR PREVIOUS MATES ARE ALIVE AND WELL WITH YOU ON VULCAN. DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVE TO END HERE? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DIE SEEING YOURSELVES AND TRAUMATIZE YOUR CHILDREN THEN GO AHEAD AND GO INTO THE TRANSPORTER ROOM! WE WILL GLADLY PASS YOU AWAY AFTER WE HAVE BEAMED THE CHILDREN AWAY SO YOUR CHILDREN WON'T SEE IT."

They were stunned into silence.

"What about Ambassador Selek?" Another Vulcan asked.

"That is a different story." Leonard said.

"You said he is Spock!" A short Vulcan said.

"That he is," M'Benga spoke up. "But he was older than the Spock we knew. The only way to avoid a death unlike our dear friend Catherine from the beginning. . . You have to be older than versions of yourselves at this very moment. We have received files on your other selves," M'Benga took out a pad. "Please step forward if you are  older or younger than the present versions of yourselves after we read this list out loud."

"Thank you." Came a word of gratitude toward M'Benga.

Name after name trickled forward. It turned out most of the Vulcans here were younger than their present selves in this timeline but the ones they had bonded themselves to were not as fortunate. They would not share the same luck in finding new mates for someone so willing. The Vulcans were conferring amongst themselves as the young children were taken to the transporter rooms. Leonard looked over in the direction of the children and the newborns being comforted by the Vulcan children. Leonard felt that they were cheated out on a life that could have been. He had people to join and so did everyone here. But the children may not have anywhere to go. At least there was adoption, the doctor figured as he watched the children vanish in a melodic tune.

Leonard had delivered most of the children here.

"Lenny." Came a twelve year old's voice.

Leonard looked over in the direction of a Vulcan hybrid named Alice Chapel, the son of Christine Chapel and Shenzon the Vulcan.

"Yes?" Leonard said.

"Are you coming with us?" Alice asked.

Leonard shook his head.

"I cannot." Leonard said.

Alice appeared to be sad.

"Whhhhhhhy?" Alice asked.

"I have bigger problems here to finish." Leonard said.

Alice took the hand of the doctor.

"I will miss you, Bones." Alice said.

Leonard squeezed her hand.

"I will always be there no matter where you go or how far you are, you will always have a heart in the old man," Leonard said, letting go of her hand. "I grieve with thee."

"Live long and prosper." Alice let go of Bones hand then joined the group.

Leonard, painfully, saluted back sliding up the bars to the transporter console. Soon as they were gone he put one hand on his face and lowered his head tearfully weeping.  It hit hard. Damn Vulcans bringing out emotions from everyone they come across. He was trembling where he stood. M'Benga, Chapel, and he had made a machine to do what they knew Star Fleet couldn't. Somehow this great civilization got itself stuck in the time continuum and was promptly wiped out. They had a war amongst themselves. A biological war. A deadly one in fact. It didn't affect Vulcans and humans oddly enough that had affected the civilization that lived here before. Perhaps the inhabitants were not human at all.

Twelve groups of children were sent out to the Enterprise.

Leonard waited for fifteen minutes for the adults to come.

None came.

"McCoy to Enterprise," Leonard said. "We are not beamin' up any adults."

"I read you, doctor McCoy."  Scotty said.

"It is nice to hear you again, Scotty," Leonard said. "You know the Enterprise always loved her. I always knew that. McCoy out."

Leonard went out to see there was a small volume crowd of  Vulcans standing together in front of the stage.

"So who is goin'?" Leonard shouted, drawing attention to himself.

"No one, Doctor McCoy." Came a familiar voice.

"YOU ARE SHITTING ME." Leonard turned around to see Spock native to this timeline.

"I do not relieve myself in front of you."

"I liked the other you better."

"You look nothing like your counterpart."

"Look who's talking about. You are the sadist and loneliest Vulcan I ever met in my time. Lookin' at my friends you reflected on your Enterprise family. Now to spare yourself of losing them early I request to go back up there where you belon'."

"The answer is quite simple, Doctor, they will not leave the other."

"I am not talkin' about that."

"M'Benga has informed me of the machine you created."

"So?"

"My advise is to dismantle it."

". . . Look Spock, I never really adored your logic but this time I am believin' this logic. And it is sound."

"You are not asking why."

"Because I don't need to. Go back to your Bones. Go back to your Jim."

"There could be a way to send you into a universe--"

"Spock, no! No more lives will be taken because of us! NO MORE!  That is illogical."

"You are stubborn as the rest."

M'Benga came to the side of the doctor as did Chapel.

"We don't want the life of bein' mistaken as your three medical professionals," Leonard said. "You are not Spock. You are a shape shifter. The last of the fallen civilization." Leonard stepped forward. "You have impersonated me for so long and my dear Vulcan friends are not so happy about that. " The not-Spock looked around noticing he was surrounded. "You see what we are wearin'"? He held up a fist. "Wrist bands. You don't have one. You are not in the uniform a Vulcan serving Star Fleet should be in. Vulcans and Romulans share a common ancestry."

M'Benga stepped forward.

"You have made us go through pain and misery. You are the one responsible for our massive loss," M'benga said. "You put us through hell! You framed McCoy for a murder of a blind male Vulcan who's improvised mate was expecting! We had evidence to clear him. So, every day, we plotted a way to rat you out. We eventually decided, one day, to use this event to our advantage when talking in sign language. You didn't understand sign language so we used it to our advantage. You have threatened our Vulcan friends with illogical motives to murder the other. You are lucky we have a doctor who counsels them. You are lucky we have a head nurse to maintain the ill Vulcans from your concoctions. You are lucky we didn't kill you that long ago. You are lucky we are humans and not Klingons. Because if we were Klingons then you would be dead by now in the most horrific manner."

"Doctor McCoy--" Not-Spock said.

"Prepare the machine." Chapel finished.

"With pleasure." Leonard said,disappearing into the crowd.

"You have been responsible for the downing  of the Enterprise, the deaths of nine hundred ninety-seven people," M'Benga went on. "And for that? That is unforgive-able." The real Spock of this timeline came out of the transporter building with several phasers in his hands. "We sentence you to death, you bastard, for crimes against Vulcans."

The Vulcans passed the phasers to the tones in the lead.

"And drop the disquise." M'Benga said.

The not-Spock transformed into a alien with bug like eyes, green scaley skin, claws on both fingers. Spock took out his communicator then requested a beam up. In a melodic like tone he is beamed away. M'Benga handed the phaser to Nurse  Chapel. There were tears in her eyes and vengeance in the Vulcan's eyes.

"You can't do this to me!" The shapeshifter claimed. "You are not a violent race! You are a peaceful race!"

"We are Vulcans," The tallest one said. "You provoked us."

"Ready," M'Benga said. "Aim," Their aims came on the shape shifter. "Fire."

They all hit the trigger at the same time. The shape-shifter collapsed down to his knees. It was quite the sight to see emotionless stoic like faces with eyes of intent firing the phasers. Eventually the shape shifter's body crumbled into dust. The phasers were dropped to the ground. There was a feel good air about the Vulcans. Their moods had changed from vengeance to their usual relaxed attitudes. The tall Vulcan stepped forward then looked around. 

"Let us attend church and pray." The tall Vulcan said.

There was a mix of "Affirmative" and "Indeed" from the crowd of Vulcans.

Humans had indeed introduced a new religion for Vulcans.


	5. End

The view screen to the Enterprise powered up to display a young man who had a scar below his left eye. He seemed to have well kept hair. Alongside him stood M'Benga and Chapel who looked nothing like their counterparts in this world. McCoy gasped seeing a man claiming to be himself. He never had any a scars. This man had hazel eyes and he had blue eyes. The words "'That is not me" wanted to fall out. But they did share the same hair style.

"Hello, old friend." Now it was Leonard who was saying that. "Now I understand how Spock felt seein' Jim. Nostalgia."

"We rather die doing the time continuum a favor, Mr Spock," M'Benga said. "Being one of your doctors was the most honorable choice I had ever made. You are the most memorable Vulcans I ever met. Young and old."

"I used to fantasize about you, Mr Spock," Chapel said. "But the truth is you are not for me. We all know the truth."

"Please, get as far as you can from the planet," Leonard plead. "We have gone above and beyond our duty."

"He means living with Vulcans and designing a plan to kill a alien being with them."  M'Benga said.

"But there is one thing we need to hear." Chapel said.

"What is that?" Jim asked.

McCoy was staring at his counterpart, so much in shock, seeing that young face staring back at him.

"Discharge us from duty." Leonard said.

"I thought you were goin' to kill yourself with the phasers." McCoy said.

"Now that would be illogical, don't ya think?" Leonard asked.

"Well. . ."  Spock looked over in the direction of the doctor who was leaning against Jim's chair. "Let me think about that."

"When we have a alien who deserves it more than we do!" Leonard added.

"Hey, you deserve to go home. A place to thrive in and belong in. You have just started life, kid." McCoy said.

Leonard grimly frowned.

"We have no home, Horatio." Leonard said. 

McCoy narrowed his eyes at the direction of Leonard.

"Don't you play that middle name card with me!" McCoy said.

"I am you," Leonard reminded McCoy. "So of course I can!"

"And you are youn'!" McCoy said.

Leonard sighed.

"This is no way to live a life, Horatio," Leonard said. "What I know is different than you do. I would gladly jump into the battle field with a reckless captain who went through the academy and a Vulcan Hybrid who acts more Vulcan instead of a humanized version of a Vulcan.  It is not bad a life. Savin' the day, as always with my best friends. I rather spend my life servin' beside the best two men I ever met," The two doctor's looked each other in the eye. "Do you understand?"

McCoy paused.

"I do." McCoy whispered.

"Good," Leonard said. "At least one of us is living how it should be."

"Captain." Chapel said.

"You are discharged from service," Jim said. "Miss Chapel, Mr M'Benga, and . . ."

Leonard turned around then put a hand on the screen that was part of a machine.

"Other McCoy." Jim added.

Chapel put one hand on the screen in front of her.

 **"CODE:"** The computer said.

M'Benga put his hand on the screen.

" _Enter._ " Chapel said.

" _Prise_.  M'Benga said.

"NCC."  Leonard said.

"1701." A stray voice said.

Leonard looked over and his eyes widened, as did the rest, as his free hand extended.

"Welcome aboard," Came Leonard's  Spock dressed in Science Blue taking his hand.  "Bones."

Leonard smiled.

"McCoy out." Were Leonard's last words as the screen was starting to become engulfed into white.

Spock and Jim and McCoy could see on the screen that the other Spock had his free hand on the shorter man's shoulder who's eyes were becoming full of tears. Chapel's eyes were filled to the brim of tears. M'Benga had a smile  on his face. The screen turned to black after the words came from the doctor. There was a smile on the other  Spock's face as he looked down in the direction of Leonard. The Enterprise flew out of the planet's orbit.

"I have to go." McCoy left feeling emotional.

Jim looked over in the direction of Spock.

"Did we just see a ghost?" Jim asked.

Uhura was in turn, shocked, as the rest of the bridge crew who were silent.

"There is only one logical solution to this," Spock said. "We saw a ghost."

**The End.**


End file.
